Pl ace



(No Model.)

W. E. PHILLIPS..

GHILDS GRADLB.

Patented Oct. 23, 1894..

R m m V N A TTORNE Y8.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIS E. PHILLIPS,OF SAGUAOHE, COLORADO, ASSIGNOROEONE 'HALF TO PERRYBERTSCHY, OF SAMErPLAOE.

CH ILDS CRADLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of neaers Patent No. 528,026, dated October23, 1894. Application filed February 14, 1894. Serial No. 500,134. (Nomodel.)

aZZ whom it may concern: Be it known that I, WILLIS E. PHILLIPS, ofSaguache, in the county of 'Saguache and State of Colorado, haveinvented a new and 5 useful Improvement in Childrens Cradles, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description. 1

My invention relates to an improvement in cradles, and it has for itsobject to so conro struct the cradle that it may be readily swung with along regular motion, the short motion, which is well known to beprejudicial to infants, being overcome. A further object of theinvention is to so :5 construct the cradlethatno matter how violentlythe body of the cradle may be rocked, it will be impossible to throw ormove in the least the child contained in the body of the cradle; and toprovide a cradle particularly 2o clock-work, &c.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed 25 outin the claims.

1 Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures and letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved cradle, and Fig. 2 is anend view thereof, illustrating the cradle at rest in positive lines andat oneportion of its side throw 3 5 in dotted lines.

In carrying out the invention the body or basket A of the cradle may begiven any shape or be given any design that fancy may dictate. Inaddition to the body the cradle consists of whatmay be termed twopivotal supports B and B and links 0 connecting said supports. Eachpivotal support consists of two legs 10, and each leg comprises what maybe termeda body 1O which is more or 5 less straight, and a foot sectionwhich is at more or less of an acute angle to the body and extendsoutward beyond the front edge.

This foot is curved more or less in a downwardly direction, the bottomonly of the lower portion resting upon the floor or other support, inorder that a predetermined amount adapted to self-moving mechanisms suchas and a round 12, which serves to connect the .foot sections of thelegs.

, 6o Each end of the cradle body A, is provided with two pins 13 and 14,located one at each side of the center; and the legs of one support arepivoted upon the pins 14 while the legs of the other support are pivotedupon the 6 pins 13, the connection between'the pins and the legs beingat or near the upper endsot' the latter. The space between the topportions of opposing legs at the ends of the cradle body however, ismuch less than the space between the bottom portions, of the bodysections of the legs, and corresponding legs of both of the supports Band B are connected,

that is, each set of opposing legs, by a link 0, theconnection being apivotal one, and the 7 links are attached to the legs at the junction 1of their body and their foot sections, or practically so. i

When a cradle is constructed as above set forth, and is placed upon asupport, by sim- 8o ply pressing against either of the rounds 12, oragainst the upper portion of the foot section of either of the legs,both of the supports B and B will be given a rocking movement, and asimilar movement will be communicated to the body.

Itis essential that the legs should be closer at the top than at thebase, and while the body of the cradle rocks on a swing like a pendulum,it also moves in the direction it is swung, go by the action of itssupports. The nearer the upper distanceand the spread of the legs on thefloor coincide, the greater will be the motion to and fro. The cradle isheld upright by the gravity of thebody, andwhen swung 5 the same forcewill return it to the perpendicular.

By reason of the peculiar swinging, movement imparted to the body by themovement of the logs, the principle of the pendulum is too destroyed,and the beat of the cradle to and fro will be long, sweeping andregular. For

example, a cradle'fourteen inches deep, constructed as shown in thedrawings will make about twenty-six beats or swings per minute, and ifthe same cradle were swung from a stationary point it would swing atleast fifty tunes per minute; more if the weight of the ch1ld shouldraise the center of gravity perceptibly, which it would do. Bydestroying the principle of the pendulum in the movement of the cradlebody, I obtain a longer and slower swing than can be had by otherconvenient methods. Thus a saving of floor space can be obtained withoutdiminishing the size or swing of the cradle.

In Fig. 2 it will be observed practically to what extent the body may becarried indirection of its swing by the uprights; and in the same Viewthe position of the uprights, when the cradle is in swinging action, isclearly defined.

A short quick motion in the swing of a cradle body is well known to beprejudicial to the health of infants. The long regular swing in theimproved cradle overcomes this objection, and no matter how violent therocking may be, it is evident that it will be practically impossible tothrow or move a child located in the body of the cradlein the least; andfurthermore, as heretofore stated, the operation of rocking the cradleis rendered particularly convenient,- since a regular pressure of thefoot upon the foot section of either leg of the cradle, or upon therounds connecting said sections, is all that is necessary. Thereforethis cradle is particularly adapted to self-moving mechanisms, such asclock-work, electric motors, or motors of other descriptions.

When the body is at rest, the links C will be substantially parallelwith the floor, or with whatever other support upon which the cradle maybe placed.

This cradle is especially adapted for use with a canopy top, since nomatter how far the body is swung the canopy will not swing and thereforedoes not consume power.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A cradlecomprising the body, two longitudinally extending laterally rockingframes below the body and having upwardly extending members at theirends to which the upper portions of the body ends are pivoted atopposite sides of a central vertical line, and links pivotallyconnecting the ends of said rocking frames below where they are pivotedto the body, substantially as set forth.

2. In a cradle or like object, the combination, with a basket or body,of rocking sup ports pivotally connected with the ends of the cradle,one at each side of the center and pivotally connected with one.another, the distance between the supports at each end of the cradlebeing greater at their lower than at their upper ends, as and for thepurpose specified. I

3. In a cradle 01' like object, the combination, with a basket or body,of opposing supports, each support consisting of connected legs, saidlegs being pivotally connected at each side of the center-of the cradlebody near the top thereof, each leg comprising a body portion pivoted tothe body of the cradle, and a foot adapted to rest upon a support and atan angle to the body, and link connections between the legs of thesupports at opposite ends, as and for the purpose specified.

WILLIS E. PHILLIPS.

Witnesses:

J. H. WILLIAMS, Y. M. G. BEARD.

